The 7 Reasons Why City Are Coming Good

By Brian Lofrumento | 29th January 2009

The 7 Reasons Why City Are Coming Good | read this item

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robinho-city When Manchester City was taken over earlier this season, talks of Galacticos and 10 digit numbers were floating about. At the turn of the new year, City found themselves embroiled in a relegation battle that heavily scuppered their worldwide ambitions.

With their latest victory over Newcastle, City have climbed out of the bottom half of the table and into 9th place. Mark Hughes has convinced his side to put their problems behind and start anew with a few new faces around. That is exactly what they have done, and here are the seven reasons why I believe City are on the verge of coming good.

Robinho. I guess I’ll get the most obvious reason out of the way. Robinho’s quality should never be questioned. He has performed at the highest levels in the world of football, at arguable the two most famous footballing sides the world has ever seen. For Brazil, Robinho is one of the pinnacles of one of the greatest national teams in the world. At Real Madrid, Robinho proved that he could play at one of the biggest clubs in the world and in the biggest competitions in European football. Now, at City, Robinho is in contention for the Premier League golden boot and has single handidly carried City through quite a few games.
Craig Bellamy. Bellamy has come up with the goods at every club he’s been at, and a goal on his City debut has already given him a place in City fans’ hearts. Bellamy has pace, power, and finesse, and in him Manchester City have a player that can keep his head down and get the job done. Unlike other flashy signings like Jo, Bellamy has been in the Prem for years and knows how to beat Prem defenses. While the price was a bit hefty, Bellamy was an inspired signing.
Goals, goals, and more goals. If you haven’t realized it yet, Manchester City have scored the second most goals in the league this season. After 22 games, City’s goal tally stands at a remarkable 41 goals. That’s impressive for any team! A large part of this is down to Robinho, but squad members all around the pitch have been chipping in with goals. While attack can’t win alone, Mark Hughes’ job is a bit easier knowing that his attack is firing on all cylinders. If City can sort their defense out, you can bet your house that they’ll be moving on up.
City of Manchester Stadium. Mark Hughes knows it, and anyone who’s watched City this year knows it. The Sky Blues are a different team at home than they are on the road. In the league this season, they’ve picked up just 7 points away from home. At the City of Manchester Stadium they’ve picked up 21 points. This is the Jekyll and Hyde story that all managers hope to avoid, but in the meantime it is carrying City into the top half of the table. As long as they can keep their own turf as a fortress, City should do alright from now until the end of the season.
Stephen Ireland. The central midfielder has been in sensational form this season, making City fans all but forget about the injured Michael Johnson. Ireland has been playing so well that he even prompted Football Corner’s Cathal Breathnach to suggest that Ireland has been the player of the season thus far (to hear the full interview tune in to the Premiership Talk Podcast).
Mark Hughes. While most members of the media were calling for Mark Hughes to be sacked, the City owners decided to give him a chance. Part of the reason why City are doing so well is because they have kept Hughes on board and ensured the most stability possible (although it’s not easy with the always revolving doors at the club). We’ve seen massive clubs like Real Madrid have a big turnover of managers, and City have avoided that.
Shaun Wright-Phillips. SWP didn’t do so well at Chelsea, but upon his return to City he’s hit best form again. In a time where the club is abandoning its grassroots culture, they need a few players that still live and breathe City. SWP has brought that excitement back to the club, and he has commanded the flanks. Unlike his time at Chelsea, Wright-Phillips has also found a way to get in on the goals, and he has cemented his place in City’s first eleven.

It is for these seven reasons that I believe Manchester City are on the verge of coming good. With the right players in place, and a manager who has time to assert himself, City can put themselves in a top seven spot.

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